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Melinda has some thoughts about Firestone's tire recall.

NPR's Daniel Zwerdling traveled to Nicaragua to report on a new twist in the ever expanding global economy. As international companies travel the world in search of cheap labor, some workers are trying to form unions to demand better wages and better conditions. Zwerdling tells the story of Chentex, a Taiwanese consortium that was attracted to Nicaragua because the nation offered space in an industrial park, no taxes for the first ten years and lots of people willing to work for low wages. But unlike many developing nations where "sweatshops' are set-up, Nicaragua has a history of unions. Under the Sandinistas, peasants and factory workers were encouraged to unionize. When the workers, mostly women, tried to organize at the Chentex factory they were fired and harassed. The way the workers see it, the government made a kind of pact with the devil and they need unions to protect themselves. The way the government sees it, international companies offer employment and a much needed economic boost. The way the companies see it, they are not anti-union, and they are offering work and wages in places where none would exist without them.

Vice President Al Gore kicked-off his Mississippi River campaign tour today. NPR's Anthony Brooks reports that, with a hoarse voice, Gore is charging through the heartland searching for votes. People interviewed along the way give their reviews of Gore's speech last night accepting the Democratic presidential nomination.

Noah talks with Ronald J. Ostrow, a veteran Los Angeles Times writer who is covering a probe of the FBI Crime Laboratory. The probe began three years ago because of allegations of sloppiness in the handling of evidence for 3,000 criminal cases. Some of the defendants of those cases landed on death row.

NPR's Mike Shuster reports that the Russian navy is continuing rescue operations, hoping against hope to save survivors among the 118 men aboard the submarine Kursk. British and Norwegian teams are heading to the site of the disaster in the Barents Sea, but won't arrive before Saturday. President Vladimir Putin said today that immediately after the accident in the Barents Sea last weekend, he was told the chances for saving the men were extremely slim.

Unions say talks have intensified, the company says a deal is within reach, but Verizon telecommunications workers are still on strike and without a contract. NPR's Snigdha Prakash reports the main disputes revolve around work transfers and mandatory overtime. One participating union had threatened to bolt the talks, but backed off, saying that "significant progress" has been made.

Linda talks with E.J. Dionne of the Washington Post and David Brooks of the Weekly Standard about Vice President Al Gore's speech last night at the Democratic Convention. It was a speech in which Gore asserted he was "his own man" -- promising a vision for America's future. The speech was packed with a laundry list of specific issues he promised to tackle -- including healthcare, campaign finance reform and needs of the working and middle class.

Noah Adams talks with sportswriter Stefan Fatsis about the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics trials in Boston. Several members of the women's team which won a gold medal in 1996 are trying to make the team again. Interestingly, women's coach Bela Karoly has been given unprecedented power to select the team from among the top finishers at the trials. Usually, the team consists of the top six finishers at the trials.

NPR's Peter Kenyon is following the George W. Bush campaign. With the Democratic convention over, the Republican nominee got right back out on the road today, trying to limit any post-convention bounce for Gore. Bush started today in Gore's home state of Tennessee, and told the crowd he could win there.

Noah checks back with Stacy Jessop, a Montana middle school teacher who was evacuated to a Red Cross shelter to avoid wildfires which were burning perilously close to her house. She's returning home today.